Brand New Night

by Nathan Spain

  “Dreadful fellow,” Damian observed.

  “If he looks at me like that again, I’m going to claw his eyes out,” Ariadne said, her voice thick with anger. “I’m not joking.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” Damian told her, “but in the interests of diplomacy, let’s try to avoid it unless absolutely necessary.”

  They moved to their places at the Wineblood table and watched as the rest of the vampires trickled in. Soon all four tables were filled with Winebloods, Stormfangs, Nightcloaks and Blackwings, and in the ornate chairs at the four corners sat the four lords and ladies.

  The summit, at last, was about to begin.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Draven watched as Lady Selene rose from her chair and stepped forward to the podium. All eyes were on her, and the babble of voices dropped away as she spoke.

  “My fellow vampires,” she began, her voice confident and strong. “My Lords and Lady. Welcome to the first gathering of our clans in, for most of us, living memory. Before we begin, I must acknowledge that relations between our clans have not always been friendly. I will remind you of the rules we all agreed upon – there is to be no physical violence, nor any displays of aggression or intimidation, permitted between you. This is to be a neutral zone.”

  She raised her chin as she slowly swept a stern gaze across the room, but then her expression softened. “With that out of the way, thank you for coming. Many of you have traveled great distances to join us here tonight. I hope the refreshments have helped to ease the pains of your journeys.”

  Lady Rosanna and several Stormfangs raised their glasses of blood, though Draven noticed that the gesture was not matched by the Nightcloaks or Blackwings; Thanatos looked impassive, and Brone scratched his nose, seeming to pay little attention.

  Selene gave the Stormfangs a nod of recognition before saying, “However, though this may be a historic occasion, it is not a time for celebration. This is a time for reflection, for the confronting of hard truths. The problems that confront us are serious and long-term, and we must be equally committed to whatever solutions we devise.”

  She paused before continuing, “As you all know, six years ago, humankind lost the vast majority of their population to the outbreak they call the Devastation. Our own people are lucky enough to be immune to such illnesses, but by the time the disease ran its course, this country that once had over three hundred million human citizens was diminished to a little over thirty million. And that number continued to fall in the years of chaos that followed. Although the human population in America continues to outnumber us, their people have clustered together, consolidating their numbers and resources, and I’m sure many of you have had to do the same in response.”

  From around the four corners of the room came nods and murmurs of agreement.

  “There is concern,” Selene continued, “that matters will only get worse. Humanity is resilient, and in time, they may rebuild their society and replenish their numbers. But it will be a lengthy and difficult process, and there can be no guarantee of success. We cannot afford to wait and see how things play out. At the very least, we must take precautions, prepare for increasing scarcity and potentially the near-extinction of both our species. But ideally, to save both races, we could do our part to nurture and encourage their continued survival, like good farmers tending their flock.”

  At this, the muttering in the room rose into a sudden burst of noise as several vampires spoke over one another.

  Selene raised her voice above the din. “I would like to hear all of your thoughts on this matter, but in an orderly fashion, please. I will open the floor to discussion, which I shall moderate. Please be patient and refrain from speaking all at once. I will try to give everyone the opportunity to make their voice heard, starting with the clan leadership.”

  Silence filled the hall as everyone waited to see who would be the first to speak.

  Finally, Lady Rosanna stood up, assuming a voice that was clearer and nobler than she had used upon her arrival. “I think we can all see the truth in Lady Selene’s words about the severity of the situation. I know that the Stormfangs have felt the strain of the last few years. For the moment, we endure, but none of us can take our continued survival for granted. We must take measures to ensure that the situation does not get any worse.”

  “So,” interrupted Brone, “do you ladies have any actual ideas? Any solutions to offer? Or did y’all drag us out here to talk in circles about” – he twisted his voice into a mocking parody – “the severity of the situation?”

  “I do, as a matter of fact,” Selene said sharply. “Since you’re so eager to hear it, Lord Brone, allow me to lay out my suggestions. Firstly, in the interests of conserving the population, the clans should introduce laws against killing humans when feeding.”

  There was a great commotion at this, which ranged from a chorus of hushed whispers throughout the Stormfang and Wineblood crowds to indecipherable but angry-sounding muttering from the Nightcloak table.

  “Please,” Selene commanded, holding out her arms, “settle down.” When the uproar had quieted enough for her to be heard, she continued, “Let me be clear. No one is trying to limit your ability to defend yourself in cases of life and death. But as you are all aware, it is perfectly possible for us to feed without killing our prey.”

  Brone scoffed loudly. “Oh, please. We all know you Winebloods find killing distasteful. You have the right to feel as bad for your dinner as you want, but don’t try to impose your moral compass on the rest of us.”

  “I didn’t bring you here to discuss morality, Brone,” Selene retorted. “It’s a matter of sustainability. Given the new realities of today, continuing to take human lives with impunity would be wasteful.”

  A woman from the Stormfang table stood, raising her hand to speak. “With all due respect, killing is also what keeps us safe. The survival of our society has always depended on our secrecy, and dead men don’t spread rumors of fanged attackers. Dead men don’t incite panic or draw the attention of vampire hunters like the Sons of Helsing.”

  Draven sat with a finger on his lips, his brow furrowed. The Stormfang had a point; perhaps if he hadn’t insisted on feeding from Matthew Clark while his prey was still living, he would never have been caught in the act, and never have drawn Bodrock to his doorstep. Mercy has its consequences. But then, who can predict what the consequences will be for each life taken? It was the killing of humans, after all, that spurred the very existence of the hunters.

  “Dead men simply disappear,” the Stormfang went on, “or are found slain, not so uncommon an occurrence in mankind’s cities. We are predators whose success lies in the fact that our prey doesn’t know we exist. Taking killing off the table puts us all at risk of discovery.”

  She sat back down, as murmurs of assent spread throughout the room. Draven watched Selene, anticipating a response from her, but before she could speak, Damian rose from his chair. He looked at Selene for permission to speak, and she caught his gaze and nodded at him.

  “You speak of us as predators, lurking in the shadows,” he began. “And it’s true that in order to survive, that is what we’ve historically had to be. But the situation is different now. Yes, we’re still the minority population, but in this new status quo, humans pose less danger to us. Perhaps it’s time to step out of the shadows and declare ourselves, not as a monstrous threat to humanity, but as a people and society in our own right. Perhaps it’s time we redefine our role as predators, and become something more, to seek an understanding with humankind, as two peoples united by the common goal of survival.”

  The hall erupted into noise, and at the center of the uproar stood Brone. “What kind of nonsense are you babbling?” he demanded, ignoring the angry look Selene flashed him at the repeated interruption. “Are my ears failing me, or are you suggesting we attempt to live openly alongside humans? What makes you think such an idiotic notion would result in peace?”

  “A reasonable question, my Lord,” D
amian said, which Draven thought was being rather generous. “Please, if you would, hear me out.”

  Brone sat down, sneering, and as the noise died down, Draven took a moment to scan the room. Selene still stood at the podium, her arms crossed, allowing Damian to say his piece. Thanatos’ gaze was fixed on Damian as well, his fingers arched with the tips touching. Rosanna leaned back in her chair, legs spread wide and arms crossed, but her eyes, too, watched Damian intently.

  And next to Damian sat Ariadne, and the look on her face as she listened to him speak was one of pure pride.

  “We could implement a no-killing policy,” Damian said, “but otherwise continue our secretive existence. Or we could approach the humans, not as their enemies but as potential allies, with our collective centuries of knowledge and experience, in their efforts to rebuild their civilization.”

  Damian paused, and a man from the Blackwing table raised his hand. Selene nodded at him in acknowledgement.

  “This is ridiculous,” he spat at Damian. “Next you’ll be suggesting we invite humans into our homes, mingle freely with them. There’s no place for them in our culture, and I for one don’t want to have any part in theirs!”

  As he sat back down, Damian replied, “I’m not suggesting we scrap our own society and assimilate entirely with human-kind. But just think, my friends – instead of being outsiders, forever hiding ourselves from the humans, looting from their cities and their population like common thieves and murderers, we could finally be open about our existence.”

  Another voice spoke up, but this time it wasn’t another mocking interruption from Brone – it was Rosanna.

  “The humans can barely tolerate the naturally-occurring differences and variations in their own race,” she called out. “What makes you think they’ll be any more accepting of something as outlandish as us? What would we say to them? ‘Hello, we’re like you except we drink your blood to survive and only come out at night? Wait, don’t hurt us, I swear we mean no harm. We’ve been secretly feeding off your kind for centuries, but don’t worry, we wanna be friends now.’ Yeah, I can see that going real well. And speaking of blood, where does that fit into your genius plan? We’ll still need to drink, and I doubt they’ll line up to let us drain ‘em.”

  “There are other ways,” Damian offered. “We could arrange to have blood donated voluntarily, through safe and humane procedures, just as humans donate blood to each other. It would not be too much to ask, would it? After all, we would not be putting any strain on their own food supply, and certainly that would be a more appealing option for their kind than being preyed upon.”

  He paused for a moment and sighed. “Look, I understand your hesitations, for I know this is a radical notion, one that would cause a dramatic shift in what it means to be a vampire in this country. But I believe such a shift is in our best interests. Of course, as the purpose of this summit is to share our ideas for the future, I am open to hearing other suggestions. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to voice mine, and I ask only that you give the matter your honest consideration.”

  Damian sat down, bowing to Lady Selene as he yielded the floor. Draven briefly locked eyes with him and gave him a small, supportive smile and a nod of approval, while Ariadne squeezed his arm.

  There was a momentary silence, and then Thanatos cleared his throat.

  “Lord Thanatos,” Selene said at once. “We haven’t heard from you yet. What say you to Damian’s proposal?”

  Thanatos stood, rising to his full, considerable height, his blacker-than-black cloak shimmering in the candlelight. “Well, your man certainly has his worldview. An admirably ambitious goal, if a misguided one. I agree with him up to a point. He is right that humanity is now less of a threat than they once were, and he is right that the time has come to reveal ourselves. But not as friends and allies. Oh no.”

  Selene’s face grew hard, and her voice was stilted as she spoke. “What are you proposing?”

  Thanatos smiled, that grotesque, skeletal smile that warped his refined features into a visage of death. “War, my dear Selene – a war that we finally have the ability to win.”

  Startled whispers spread across the hall, a building murmur that threatened to burst into a flood of noise. Draven scanned the room once more. Rosanna’s face was grim, her brow furrowed, and Selene’s hands tightly gripped the sides of the podium as she stared at Thanatos.

  But Brone…Brone was smiling wider than ever.

  Before he could think about it, Draven rose, and, in a firm voice, called out, “Tell us, my Lord, why on Earth should we desire such a thing?” He noticed vaguely that his hands were balled into fists.

  Thanatos’ eyes turned to Draven, and for a single moment, he frowned. “Because, as your friend said, we have been hiding in the shadows for too long. For too long we have been oppressed by our inferiors, chained to them by our thirst and lacking the freedom to live life openly, on our own terms.” He spread his arms wide, looking around the room at the faces gathered there. “I ask you, my friends, does the food chain no longer confer dominance from the top down? Is it the way of nature to live in fear of our own food source?”

  “You speak of oppression and dominance, but do we not already prey upon humans?” Draven countered. “How can you call them the oppressors when we have done so much to terrorize their kind?”

  Thanatos pointed a bony finger at him. “What kind of predator do you feel like when you stalk the seedy corners of their cities, feeding off the drunken refuge of their society? We’re more like a minor virus, wreaking small havocs, but always vulnerable, always on the alert, lest the human body we trespass in grow wise to our presence and send its antibodies. I’ve heard rumors, Draven, that you have been on the receiving end of those antibodies before. Wouldn’t you like to stop being hunted and become the hunter you are meant to be? We could be so much more than just a fragile little virus. We could be a second plague, sweeping over this world and reshaping it.”

  “We did not gather here for the purposes of warmongering,” Selene interjected. “We’re here to seek ways to improve the situation, and your war would be a costly one, on both sides. I hope I have made it clear that I believe we should help revitalize the human population, not tear it down even further.”

  “Why not?” asked Thanatos matter-of-factly. “Why shouldn’t we tear them down a little? Their numbers are more manageable than before, the conquest of their cities a more attainable goal, but there are still far more of them than we really need. A little slaughter will set that right, and once their numbers are sufficiently reduced and their cities are ours, we can control the rest. Contain them, bleed them for our sustenance, turn some to replace casualties on our side, and breed them to ensure a future stock. Why, within a single human generation – a blink of the eye for our kind – we could cement our rightful place as rulers of this world.”

  A bloodthirsty chorus of shouts and cheers went up from the Nightcloaks’ table, their delegation roused by their leader’s words. A few of the Blackwings joined in as well, though most of the Stormfangs and Winebloods mirrored their leaders in looking troubled.

  But no one looked so purely angry as Ariadne.

  Before Draven could say anything to caution against it, she rose and took a confrontational step toward the center of the room, facing down Thanatos. “That’s barbaric,” she hurled at him. “Have you no compassion for humans at all? They aren’t animals, they’re people like the rest of us. None of us began life as vampires. We were all human once, even you.”

  “An embarrassing association.” Thanatos’ voice remained calm, but behind his eyes Draven saw the anger of a man not accustomed to being talked back to in this way. “Like the human race’s evolution from an even lesser form of ape, we have transcended our origins and become something greater. It is unfitting for a race as powerful as ours to be forced to hide in the shadows, while the creatures we’ve surpassed still rule the world. We must assert our superiority. And yes, that may require some barbari
sm, as you put it, but the butcher who is afraid of getting blood on his hands will forever go hungry.”

  Ariadne stared at him, aghast. “You must be insane,” she said, shaking her head. “Do you really expect us to support this madne-”

  A nasty laugh drowned out her voice. “What did I tell you,” Brone said, looking at Draven. “You really need to put a leash on your girl here. That temper of hers is gonna get her in trouble.”

  Ariadne took a furious half-step forward, and for a second, Draven thought that that trouble was coming sooner rather than later. But Ariadne’s self-control seemed to win out over her rage, and she settled for giving Brone a scathing look that made it clear what she thought of him.

  “You support this rash plan, then, Brone?” Selene asked coldly.

  Brone grinned his toad-like smile. “He paints a pretty picture, doesn’t he? Sorry, Selene, but I like the cut of Thanatos’ jib a lot more than I like yours.”

  Thanatos turned to Rosanna. “Lady Stormfang. Where do you fall on this matter? Are you with me?”

  Rosanna stared at him with a hand on her chin, tracing her jaw with one finger. “No. I am not. I will not advocate conflict and further loss of life.”

  Thanatos’ eye twitched a little, but he maintained his unperturbed demeanor. “With a past like yours, I would have thought you would have little love for humans. Even when you were one of them, they did not accept you for the person you are. They will not accept you now. You must know there is no place for us in their society, that they will only ever fear and hate us.”

  “Maybe so,” Rosanna said. “But as naïve as I find the Wineblood’s idea, yours is far more distasteful. I won’t send my people to war. I have to believe we can find a solution that maintains peace.”

  “Peace?” growled Thanatos. He turned to face the room, and for the first time, his mask of calm reason slipped a little as he raised his voice. “We shall have peace when our enemies are brought to heel. I ask you, Rosanna and Selene and all assembled here, to take a long view of the future. Is that not the purpose of this meeting – to exchange ideas, as radical as they might be? Selene is correct that we must take action to survive. As distasteful as my way of thinking may seem, it is a necessary evil. There is nothing less at stake than the preservation of our race!”